Performance and Perspectives of Solar Cooling
Abstract
Solar cooling with thermally driven processes allows primary energy savings, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and reduction in peak load electricity consumption from the grid. But often the achieved performances, especially with respect to the auxiliary electricity consumption, still differ from the potential, as e.g. calculated in a simulation study of small solar cooling systems. Simultaneously, solar cooling faces another option: the simple electricity compensation of conventional cooling installations by electricity from grid connected PV systems. A systematic comparison of both technologies has not been performed yet, but an exemplary calculation indicates that the realtime coverage of the electricity demand in a PV/conventional system may not always compete with a solar thermally driven system without additional measures. However, for the market development of solar cooling, assistance through well designed support schemes is still necessary in order to improve the technical and system integration level of thermally driven solar cooling.